Alienware Auctions + Question for Experienced Watchdogs

[Joseph K.]

I've been trying to keep an eye on the Alienware auctions (which is not too difficult since I'm thinking of buying one from a legitimate source sometime soon :D), and came across these in the "information products" section:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2956535578&category=47103
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2956371166&category=47103

and these in the electronics section:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3434864867&category=46323
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3434915336&category=46323
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2956371166&category=47103
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3434852463&category=46323

This one is a little confusing:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3434967825&category=46323

because it doesn't mention info or have a buy it now price but says "The price is $185.00" and the seller has 0 feedback.


Anyways, I reported some of them but was a little confused about HOW to report them. All but the first two violate listing category, all of them violate keyword spamming, almost all of them have misleading titles, etc. So which category is it typically best to report them under? If anyone with tons of eBay experience could tell me how they usually report these auctions it would help me a lot. Thanks. :)

[spiderjohn]

Joseph K.,
It looks like you're doing your share.
I've reported some of these too, and I know others here at MW have been reporting them too.
The Alienware and the Plasmas are the easiest to spot.
When I do a Plasma search, I usually sort by lowest priced after the list of about 700 pop up, and you'll see the scammers right away. They usually post their info for under $10 and use the buy-it-now system, a legit Plasma seller isn't going to sell you a TV for $10.
Don't forget to do a check on the sellers other auctions when you open up the page they list the ad on, you'll find quite a bit of other interesting things they're selling too, mostly scammers, but some mix in legit items, or are mostly legit and it seems like they must have bought one of those info packages and are trying to recoup some of their money.

Here's a twist.

On the second link you have at he top, the seller is "isaac_grover".
I saw that one earlier today too, and on a whim, I emailed him like his ad said and asked how I could get an Alienware laptop. In fact, here's my email,

"Where can I get one of these?"

He responded by sending me the link to the e-book pdf file for free.

What a fool.

Anyway, on page 1 is a pic of the laptop, page 2 is a little explanation about getting one legit and or stealing one, and on page 3 in the first sentence he links you to a matrix and tells you to join.

I thought it was pretty funny.

I also read some of his feedback later, and saw he was getting nailed by his buyers for scamming them, and he finally strated saying in his response to the negatives, that he was through with selling those type of auctions for money. I guess he was true to his word, since he sent me the e-book for free, and he was supposedly the author of it, it looked like something he would write, it wasn't professionally written at all.

Keep up the good work, and if you need clarification as to what type of posting the sellers might be abusing, check out this link:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/index_popup.html?policies=items-ov.html

most of the violations will be in the Compilation and Informational Media, or Catalog and URL Sales or Misleading Titles, read through ebays descriptions of what constitutes a violation, and on the bottom of each of the links, there's a report a violation link you can fill out.

[hurley9192]

good job guys, thanks for the hard work...

just an update...palmpano has been kicked off ebay. Thanks for the threats palmpano, now you're gone.